abc's jon karl joins us now, from washington, with the latest. what about it? how close are we finally to a deal? >> reporter: getting close to a deal with the house speaker, john boehner. the outlines of this deal include up to $3 trillion in spending cuts over the next ten years including some cuts to popular entitlement programs like medicare and social security. also, elizabeth, it would include a promise or a commitment that congress would bring more money in through tax revenues by reforming the code, closing some of those loopholes. that's something that congress would act on over this last year. >> that last one, isn't that disguise? a tax increase in >> reporter: well, certainly some will call it that. the rates won't go up. congress would have to act over the next year. if they didn't ago, automatic steps would be taken that both sides wouldn't like which would be tax hikes and spending cuts. possibly, elizabeth, they're talking about repealing part of the health care bill. >> even if president obama and speaker boehner reach a deal they have their ow